Beast's Demands (Crude Hill High 3)

“It’s nice.” I opened my book, seeing a cross through fennel. I was making some soup, and I clearly didn’t like the addition of the vegetable. Beside it, I’d put seed, and again, this was crossed out.

“Put the book down and come here.”

I looked up at him and found that he was still watching me. Slowly, I put the book down, but I didn’t want to do that. I knew I didn’t. With each step I took, I got closer to him until I stood right in front of him.

He took my hand and locked our fingers together. “You did really good today.”

“Thank you.”

“Always so polite.”

He lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. I watched him close his eyes and then let go of me. The tips of his fingers brushed across my thigh, teasing along the edge of my dress.

His touch should have repulsed me.

It didn’t.

I didn’t understand why not.

Staring at him, I waited for the chills, the sick revulsion, but nothing came.

“Sit. Put your knees on either side of me.”

“What?”

He sat back on the bed and tugged me close. I had no choice but to put my knee on either side of his waist, moving onto the bed. The angle put my pussy directly over his dick. I didn’t sit down, but his hands went to the curve of my ass as he moved me into place.

The hard length of his cock touched me. He was still wearing pants, and I wore my underwear, but I felt him. Pure steel. I gripped his shoulders, trying to hold on. I was far from sickened. I liked it.

Staring into his green eyes, I waited for him to strike, to make me do something I really didn’t want to do.

His hands went back to my ass, and he held me in place.

“You know, all day, there was something I’ve been wanting to do to you. Do you know what that is?”

“Fuck me?” The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them.

He chuckled. “I want to do that. It’s a given, but no.” He pressed his face against my neck and I gasped. He hadn’t even kissed me yet. Just the tip of his nose brushing across my flesh. This shouldn’t feel so good.

I was a horrible friend. The worst kind of person.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you from the moment I saw you this morning.”

I jerked back, but I didn’t get far as his hands were on my ass. “You do?”

“Yeah, I do.”

I couldn’t help but look at his lips. They looked tempting.

They belonged to my enemy. Earl Valentine was the enemy, wasn’t he? I shouldn’t want to kiss him. His cock between my thighs shouldn’t arouse me. There were so many things wrong with this picture. The fact I was enjoying all of this made me a horrible friend. Emily deserved better than me.

Even as I screamed and cursed myself, demanded better, I put my hands on his cheeks.

No words formed on my lips. I moistened my own as I looked at him.

One hand glided from my ass to grip the back of my head, and then he pulled me down, just a little. Our mouths were so close, sharing our breath. Would it be so bad? One kiss. I’d never experienced this before.

I didn’t know who moved first, him or me, but in the next second, our mouths met. Eyes closed, I didn’t even imagine it was anyone else. There was no reason to. Earl consumed me. His lips danced across mine, and I knew I had to be awful at this. There was no way I was any good. I’d never taken the time to practice kissing. Not even on my hand. There was no point to it.

Men never held any appeal.

His fingers massaged the back of my head, and I gasped. This gave him an opening, and he deepened the kiss. When his tongue touched my lip, I jerked back, breaking the kiss. I hadn’t been expecting it.

I covered my mouth with the back of my hand. “I’m so sorry.”

He was smiling though. There wasn’t a hint of anger in his gaze. “I’m trying to kiss you.”

“I’m so horrible at this.”

“You’re a lot better than you realize.” He rubbed my knee. “You’ve got to learn to relax. It will go much better.”

“I am relaxed.” The lie fell from my lips with ease. I wasn’t. I was tense and angry and upset with myself.

Earl, as strange as everything was with him, hadn’t done a single thing wrong. He hadn’t taken. He’d asked. I was over him. He wasn’t dominating me.

I had all the control, and I wasn’t sure I was completely happy about that.

“Do you want to stop?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you want to stop?” He grabbed the back of my neck and tugged me down. Any control I thought I once had was shattered out of the water as he consumed me, plunging his tongue into my mouth as he took my mouth. I was putty in his hands. He was the one who had the power here.